See DC like a local. Permanent Tourist Founder Paul Mazzuca's adventures and musings driving tourists and locals on pedicab around the Mall and historic places in DC.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Australiam Prime Minister honors Vietnam veterans

It was a cold and windy morning yesterday at the Lincoln Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial when Australia's female Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, promised $3.3 million to build an Education Center for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. Retired US Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey and US Navy CNO Adm. Mike McMullen also spoke with Jan Scruggs of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.

The finger in the picture points to the one Australian service member named on the Wall. He was a US Marine Corps Reserve. (From WTOP news,) "more than 500 Australians lost their lives during the conflict.
The planned exhibit space, called The Education Center at the Wall, will be underground and display items that have been placed at the memorial.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, which is building the center, says it has raised $26 million of the approximately $85 million needed to build the facility. The group hoped to break ground in 2010 but now says groundbreaking will likely happen in next several years."